If the designer made the mistake, it's the designer's responsibility to fix it on their dime, isn't it? Unless you signed off on the paperwork indicating the appliance color s/he chose was acceptable.

@mxk3 z5b_MI We have already tried the designer route without success - and yes we signed off. Thanks.

How bad is the mis-match? Any pics you can post? It might not be that bad - ?

@mxk3 z5b_MI It's not something we are willing to live with for our dream kitchen.

"It's not something we are willing to live with for our dream kitchen."

That is understandable and perfectly ok not to settle. Hope you can at least get something reasonable for them. Do you have a neighborhood site like Nextdoor you could try?

what color? and where are you?

@Holger Bach matte white and I'm in the Denver, CO area

I guess it's too late to return them to the store.

Seems to me the designer could buy them back from you and always use for a different client

@MMiller You are correct. I somehow read it like they weren’t used, possibly unpackaged and previously installed, but the designer expected the client to recoup the cost. Even if unused, I wouldn’t expect to pay full price, but if the designer said hey I have a suite of ge cafe appliances discounted that were mistakenly ordered or you can wait six months for brand new ones, I would bite on what was available now

I have purchased like brand new appliances that were used and sold for a similar reason as the OP’s reason. Off FB marketplace.

Note that the OP said the appliances are "almost new". So they are used. Even if the designer made the mistake, why wasn't the error caught before installation? And certainly before the OP used them.

You are assuming the error was not caught before they were installed. It is likely these were the only appliances available to the OP in a reasonable amount of time and were installed as the most reasonable way to minimize damages while the replacement appliances were being ordered.

Should the designer have to fix it on their dime when the appliances have been used? If the appliances were a mistake, why were they installed and used?

Yes! The damages for negligence exist to put the injured party in the position they would have been in, were they not injured. So the OP had a right to have appliances when promised and the right for those appliances be correct. Returning the appliances and leaving the OP without appliances for an extended period during significant supply chain shortages and delays is not nearly the same position they would have been in were the appliances ordered correctly. Any acceptable solution would have included compensation for that delay or alternative appliances being supplied while the replacements were on order.

If this is truly a designer mistake and the OP sells these appliances at a discount, they could probably recover up to $7,500 of that loss in Colorado small claims court. This assumes there was no settlement accepted. For example, if the designer offered a discount because of this mistake and the OP accepted that discount, it would remove the right for the OP to recover in small claims court. This is why designers should always offer a discount when there is a problem.

“It is likely these were the only appliances available to the OP in a reasonable amount of time and were installed as the most reasonable way to minimize damages while the replacement appliances were being ordered.”

@bry911 - I almost always agree with you, but not this time. I see nothing in the OP’s post, explanation or responses that indicate that scenario. Furthermore @mxk3 z5b_MI mentioned ”Unless you signed off on the paperwork indicating the appliance color s/he chose was acceptable.”, and the OP replied “yes we signed off.”

The subjects of the post are a request for recommendations on selling almost-new appliances, and if anyone reading this thread is interested in the appliances. The post has veered into “damages for negligence” and suggestions for small claims court - though that veer has not come from the OP. The OP justs wants to sell these apliances.

@M Miller - I was responding to the position of your post not in advising the OP of their options. Your position was that the OP shouldn't have installed them if they were a mistake. I simply noted that the installation doesn't bar the OP from recompense for the mistake. I further qualified the only advice I gave with "If this is truly a designer mistake."

Signing off on something is a whole lot more complicated than people seem to think. Indemnification runs down and not up. The supervising party can indemnify those that they supervise but can't get indemnification from parties that don't supervise the work. So the ability for the homeowner to remove responsibility from the designer likely depends on the contract.

Also, responsibility typically falls on the party who was in the best position to prevent the problem. Suppose I email a designer and ask that they order the white Café dishwasher presented in the plans (which is part number CDT845P4NW2), and they sent me an order form with approval for part number CDT845P2NS1. They would likely still be negligent as they are the party in the best position to know the correct part numbers.

Or suppose I am asked to sign off on appliances at delivery. That would not change the fact that the appliances were ordered wrong and my acceptance of them doesn't remove my right to seek recompense for that problem, it could limit my options.

Offer Up is another possibility. Also, have you tried selling these to any of your local appliance stores? There have been very long wait times for some appliances, and I am sure that someone would love to have yours - either to use or to sell.

Thanks everyone for the input and ideas regarding where or how to sell. I posed the question in the hopes that there might be a network of designers or contractors who might be interested. A bit of a stretch but thought it was worth putting the question out there. Appreciate the info!

IMO this could be a blessing since I never encourage my clinets to get all matching appliances for the simple fact there is no maker who makes everything well That is why plain old stainless is still the best choice You could not give me a GE DW so go on one of those sites you mentioned and get what you can they are now all used appliances in most peoples minds . I would not be interestd in putting those in any of my clients "Dream" kitchens. Good luck and please do not give that designer any good references if this was truly their fault.

I may check with https://renovationangel.com/contact-us or another local charitable resale store. Check with the appliance store where you are buying your new appliances to see if they sell used appliances. Many of our stores that sell new and repair will have a few used items that were lightly used and replaced.

You may also want to go to your local kitchen renovation places and talk to the designers. There may be people who are renovating and not replacing appliances because they don't have enough money to do cabinets and appliances.

There should also be some used appliance stores in your area who would purchase from you and re-sell.

You will get more selling on marketplace, craigslist, nextdoor, but reduce hassle going through a resell business. If financially able this would be an amazing charitable donation and make someone's holidays amazing. Check with local churches and your local firehouse to find if they know someone in need.

Jennifer Hogan: "this would be an amazing charitable donation and make someone's holidays amazing."

Also consider Habitat Restore: https://www.habitatmetrodenver.org/restore/donate/

Important to keep in mind that someone else's dream kitchen would be to have a working oven for the holidays.

@ Mary Iverson

My brother and his wife renovated their kitchen and gave their old cabinets to me. I planned on using some of them in my basement as storage and work surface, donating the rest. Then I found out about a family living in a home with just metal shelving in their kitchen - no cabinets other than a sink base.

I gave the tradesman who told me about the family all the cabinets. He was going to figure out how they can be made to fit the kitchen and help the family get them installed.

This felt so much better than putting them in my basement!